Cluster****

Ok, I never did NYC, but the rock and roll marathon had similar organization (corrals)...

Really, they got it figured out.  Find you wave, color and corral and just hang out.  They race will move your group along.  If not?  It's not the end of the world to be in the "general area" of jump in with another group.  They just do that for a nice smooth start and your time starts when you cross the start line via elctronic timers.

But of course, if anyone has actual experience that trumps my post.  Ignore mine.

I am also running NYCM for the first time.  I start at 9:40 in Orange Corral 13.

From the website there are three separate starting areas (Blue, Orange & Green).  It looks like each starting color is kept separate through barriers or the route itself until they all merge together at mile eight. 

This allows them to start three corrals of 1000 runners at the same time with only seven corrals per wave rather than 21 corrals per wave.

Green Wave #1 Corral #15 for me. NY will be my first marathon!

Link to start info

Link to course maps (where you can see how the different colors have different courses at the start

Corral Assignments

Okay it's really confusing and also really simple. They are just spreading the runners out and trying to keep the paces together to avoid congestion on the course.

You get off the bus on Staten Island and you walk toward the start. Just follow the crowd. They have different staging areas for the different colors. So you go to your color zone where you can find your UPS trucks, bagels and stuff. You chill there until it's time to go to your coral. Unless you're in the first wave you can't get into your coral until it opens. The corals open and close between the starts.

They will make announcements about the corals opening and closing but it is a really good idea to know what the times are because I for one couldn't hear the announcements. They also put it up on the jumbo screens but you have to be looking to see it.

When your coral opens you follow the signs to your color and coral number. Allow 10 minutes to get there just because it's crowded. Then you get into your coral - they lead you onto the bridge and away you go.

It's well organized I thought there were plenty of signs. But somebody told me about the not being able to hear the announcements which I found to be true.

It's a great race. The start is like none other I've ever done - one of my best memories. Have fun.

You do all come together at some point after the start. When you see the map of the race you'll see that for the first few miles you're separated.

You're chip should not start until you cross the starting mat.

Go to Profile & Log into your account (create one if you do not already have one) on the NYCM website.  Once logged in choose Get Registration Card.  The card will have your Race Number & start Info.  You need this card at packet pick up. 

Thanks.  They don't have my start time and all that figured out yet I guess.  It was blank.  I will keep looking into it.

I just checked my runner profile- I'm in green wave #2, corral #36 going off at 10:05am.  Yikes- I will have some waiting to do, considering I'm on the 7:15am Staten Island Ferry!  I'll be solo since my husband didn't get a lottery slot- hope I can make some new friends since spectators aren't allowed in the start area 

On another note- I believe DLS is that morning, so actually after moving the clocks back an hour (this will be REALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER), my body will think I'm running at 11:05am.  Good to know- I should probably start doing my training runs later in the morning to get myself used to waking up and waiting to run.  Would be nice to have the same routine on race day. 

Really wish I could bump that ferry ride time back

I didn't get anything on email (which was bad since I apparently missed the cutoff for the transportation options) because it had an old email address.  You have to log into the website and also choose your baggage option (either have no baggage and get the poncho or check in a bag).

Same here on the ferry.  I am on the 6:30 ferry for a 9:40 start.  Oh well, I waited in the field in Hopkinton for 3 hours last year it wasn't too bad.